Has anybody here tried to read Epictetus? Is it just me or is this greek extremely difficult? (I thought he would be a piece of cake because I'm very familiar with him in translation and I read that his greek usage was similar to biblical greek).

Yes, it is koine Greek and yes, it is very difficult, because of two characteristics which Epictetus shares with other Stoics : the language is intentionally unvarnished but full of technical terms.

The [face=SPIonic]duna/meij[/face] here are arts, almost doctrines : Epictetus will mention Grammar, [face=SPIonic]mousikh/[/face] and finally Logics, the sole art being able to "behold herself herself"

[face=SPIonic]au)th\n au(th=s qewrhtikh/n[/face] is an "adjectivisation" of the phrase [face=SPIonic]au)th\ au(th\n qewrei=[/face] "She beholds herself herself" Such phrases are common in Plato. [face=SPIonic]au)th\n[/face] is thus attributive (she does it herself), and [face=SPIonic]au(th=s[/face] an objective genitive (Herself is what she beholds).